Pedestrian Accidents
Posted By David Silva on Aug 29, 2010 4:59pm PDT
August 29, 2010 - Summer is winding down and most schools are back in session. Therefore, drivers should be extra cautious when driving in and around school zones. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, the speed limit is 25 mph unless otherwise posted when driving within 500 to 1,000 feet of a school while children are present. Also, you
should never drive over 25 mph if there is no fence around the school grounds and children are outside. The DMV notes that some school zones may have speed limits as low as 15 mph. It is important that you always drive more carefully near schools, playgrounds, parks, and residential areas because children may suddenly dart into the street. In addition, many children do not yet have the ability to judge speeds and distances well enough to cross streets safely when cars are approaching. On Friday, a 17-year-old Casa Grande student suffered a broken leg after being struck by a vehicle turning left from Crinella Drive onto Casa Grande Road. Petaluma police reported that a 39-year-old woman struck the boy at about 8:00 a.m. while he was in a crosswalk. The police actually witnessed the accident because they were enforcing traffic laws around Casa Grande when the student got hit. Police are still investigating the collision. Petaluma police officers have been targeting city roadways that have high rates of traffic collisions. Out of 63 stops made on Friday, 53 drivers were issued citations, mostly for speeding. Five drivers were cited for cell phone use while driving. Others received tickets for tailgating, not wearing a seat belt and various other vehicle code violations. Speeding and cell phone use could seriously impair your ability to stop in time if a child unexpectedly entered the roadway. The police are there to remind you to follow the rules of the road and keep the streets safe for children. If you or a loved one have been injured in a pedestrian accident, you should call a Sonoma County Personal Injury lawyer for a free consutation to discuss your personal injury case.